S. Denise Hoyle | July 24, 2009
Jordynn Lucier, or Jordy as she’s known to her many fans, taught herself how to sew about 7 years ago when she took over her mom’s sewing machine. She’s still using that same Kenmore Ultrastitch12 today to make all the wonderful limited edition handbags and fashion accessories that she sells in her online boutique called [...]
S. Denise Hoyle | July 3, 2009
Janet Perry of Napa Needlepoint started doing needlepoint almost forty years ago. When Janet was 13 years old she saw a kit in a magazine and fell in love with it. Her parents took her to the only needlepoint store around and they happened to have the very same kit. Her grandmother, who was a [...]
S. Denise Hoyle | June 19, 2009
Ashley Johnston runs the previously private, now gone public, “log of projects” at http://makeitandloveit.blogspot.com, and she sells her stylish handcrafted designs in her Etsy store (http://makeitandloveit.etsy.com). Ashley has a knack for creating unique and useful projects from inexpensive or even recycled materials, for example she recently shared a project on how to turn old advertising [...]
S. Denise Hoyle | May 1, 2009
We recently talked with Andrew Martin, Marketing Director of OnlineFabricStore.net, and he shared some valuable insight about current and future trends in fabrics. Martin says that the entire fabric industry is experiencing a shift toward organic and eco friendly fabrics and that sewing professionals would do well to stay on top of this new direction. [...]
S. Denise Hoyle | October 10, 2008
We recently spoke with Ellen Luckett Baker, the creative spark behind TheLongThread.com, a blog about “handcrafted goods in an age of mass production”. Ellen’s blog highlights tutorials for a variety of crafts and skills in addition to sewing, such as soap making and cooking delectable treats. The applique and embroidery designs Ellen shares are inspiring [...]
S. Denise Hoyle | July 24, 2008
At 19 Amy Adams began work on her design degree and she credits that experience for learning to sew “properly”. She says her Lucykate Crafts shop where she sells gorgeous three dimensional needlecraft owls, toadstools, pillows and the like is ironic because “I hated needlework at school, and my Mum tried to teach me how [...]
S. Denise Hoyle | July 20, 2008
Stacy Schlyer of StacySews.com says she’s a self-taught sewer who’s been sewing for 9 or 10 years. “After spending maternity leave watching Sandra Betzina’s program on HGTV I finally decided to take the plunge and start sewing myself. I purchased a (relatively) inexpensive machine, a few basic notions, a pattern and material and set to [...]
S. Denise Hoyle | July 10, 2008
Rita Helinger works full-time as a flight attendant and it was her “day” job that gave her the idea for a great new product that she creates and sells in her “spare” time. Helinger produces luggage handle wraps through her company Bin Hog Designs, that serve the unique purpose of helping travelers to identity their [...]
S. Denise Hoyle | July 8, 2008
Caroline Ritzer is a self-taught seamstress who made her first diaper bag after her daughter was born five years ago. She wanted something out of the ordinary that would look different from those others were carrying. Ritzer then began making the diaper bags as gifts for friends, then shortly before her son’s first birthday she [...]
S. Denise Hoyle | July 1, 2008
Patti Walker has been sewing for over 40 years and she currently is a full-time seamstress who makes mostly custom Little House on the Prairie style outfits for girls as well as other creative designs including embellished socks, bloomers and bonnets.Patti learned how to sew from her mother and says ”I would love for my granddaughters [...]
